BOHANON AND CUROTT: Free markets won’t work without rule of law in place
A common misperception is to characterize a free market as one where businesses are “unbridled” and can do “whatever they please” in pursuit of profits.
Economic Analysis
Articles
BOHANON & CUROTT: More than prices change over time
We economists do our best to measure changes in the cost-of-living over time. Yet we suspect that many components are difficult to capture in statistics.
BOHANON & CUROTT: Jobs outlook good, but not for manufacturing
The economic outlook for the United States this year isn’t pretty. But at least the situation looks better here than in most other major nations.
BOHANON & CUROTT: Looking first at what’s possible for teacher salaries
One of the biggest issues the Indiana Legislature will face in 2020 is what to do about K-12 teacher salaries.
BOHANON & CUROTT: Bike-trail tussle shows merit of democracy
Unlike government by despot or militia, institutions of collective choice prize discussion, deliberation, transparency, predictable process, compromise and accommodation.
BOHANON & CUROTT: How much have college costs really risen?
Adjusting a 1902 college bill for inflation, the total comes to $5,954 in today’s dollars. However, another way of looking at college costs paints a somewhat different picture.
BOHANON & CUROTT: Our public education system puts teachers in tough spot
It seems to us that much of the conflict over teacher pay is the result of local districts running schools that the state pays for.
BOHANON & CUROTT: Be thankful for your right to private property
Under private property, if you sow and reap 100 bushels of corn—you keep 100 bushels. Under common property, it goes to communal warehouses and you’re lucky to get one bushel.
BOHANON & CUROTT: Don’t blame your cell phone for law of creative destruction
The cell phone replaced all its malefactors by giving consumers a better way of satisfying their wants. Good for consumers, but bad for the producers of outdated products.
Expert: Economy inching closer to downturn as workforce constrains growth
Jeff Korzenik, chief investment officer for Fifth Third Bank, told the audience at IBJ’s 2020 Economic Forecast that employers need to investigate nontraditional sources of workers to offset the weak labor market.
BONANON & CUROTT: The dollar’s dominance has a downside
Cheap debt encourages fiscal irresponsibility—among teenage boys and politicians.
Economic growth to slow in state, Indy area in 2020, IU forecast says
The Indianapolis metro area’s growth is expected to be slightly better than statewide averages, but both local and state growth will be lower than the 2% expected nationally, the forecast says.
BOHANON & CUROTT: Republicans once again preside over big jumps in debt, deficit
On Oct. 26, the Treasury Department announced the deficit for fiscal 2019 was $984 billion, a seven-year high and a 28% increase over 2018.
BOHANON & CUROTT: Voters’ rational ignorance holds peril for all of us
In a national election, the odds of any one individual’s vote changing the outcome is close to nil.
BOHANON & CUROTT: Wealth-tax rates can be misleading
The distinction between stocks and flows is important in economic and business analysis.
New study: Opioid crisis cost U.S. economy $631B over 4 years
The biggest driver of the cost over the four-year period is unrealized lifetime earnings of those who died from the drugs, followed by health care costs.
BOHANON & CUROTT: Normal economic principles don’t jibe with NCAA rules
If a legally sanctioned private arrangement consistently relegates some “workers” to receive compensation that is much less than their marginal revenue product, expect major conflict.
BOHANON & CUROTT: The risk Bohanon would take to double his retirement
What if Bohanon had been allowed to invest his Social Security payments in common stocks?
BOHANON & CUROTT: Nordic countries aren’t actually socialist after all
The defining characteristic of socialism is collective ownership of property, particularly in productive resources of land, labor and capital.
BOHANON & CUROTT: To serve shareholders, companies must also look out for stakeholders
Shareholders vs. stakeholders? A distinction without a difference?